Conduct fresh inspection of FOB spot: HC tells railways, BMC

Mumbai : The Bombay High Court today directed the railways, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government to conduct a fresh inspection of a spot at Sandhurst Road in south Mumbai where a foot overbridge (FOB) is to be constructed to prevent rail mishap.

A division bench of Justices S M Kemkar and M S Karnik asked the authorities to conduct the inspection after the railways informed the court that it would not be possible to construct a temporary bridge until the permanent one is built.

“If you (authorities) want to do something then you will do it. Where there is a will there is a way,” the court said.

The bench has asked the authorities to conduct the inspection and submit a report on July 4 to the court.

After demolition of the Hancock bridge in January this year, people were forced to use the railway tracks to cross from one side to another which led to several accidents and also the death of a school boy.

The court had last month directed the civic body and Central Railways to decide a site where a temporary FOB can be constructed to help people cross near Sandhurst road.

The railways have been told to ensure that border walls along the tracks should be properly built to avoid illegal crossing.

The direction was given during the hearing of a petition filed by city resident Kamlakar Shenoy.